Tristan and Isolde: Prelude and Isolde's Love Death
Arranged by Max Reger

14:24

5

Twilight of the Gods: Finale
Arranged by Alfred Pringsheim

18:33

Total playing time:

64:43

Recording date:

October 4-6, 2012

Recorded at:

SWR Funkstudio Stuttgart

Recording producer:

Michael Sandner

Executive Producer:

Marlene Weber-Schäfer (SWR)

Sound Engineer:

Martin Vögele

„At the start of October 2012 we took the first step towards realising our CD project “Twilight” / “Götterdämmerung” and recorded the five transcriptions for two pianos from operas by Wagner.

For the first time since we began producing CDs we used two different makes of piano, one Steinway and one Fazioli (this mixture was affectionately dubbed “Steinioli” by a friend of ours). It had not necessarily been planned this way, but of the four instruments that were available these two were the most beautiful and inspiring, and as they are after all transcriptions of orchestral music, we could easily imagine that it would produce a rich and varied tonal mixture.

In addition, the sound engineers found an ingenious way to position the pianos and the microphones; for the first time we retained both piano lids and simply pushed the two instruments further away from each other.

CD-reviews

“Behn truly shines when orchestral textures are massive and thick...Tal and Groethuysen achieve remarkable synchronicity in the way they interweave the vocal lines and elaborate multi-motif orchestral frameworks in perfect perspective”

(Gramophone Magazine, July 2013)

“The most impressive aspects of these transcriptions is Pringsheim's intuitive grasp of the potential of the two-piano medium and his avoidance of any amateurish over-writing...The intensity of focus and unflagging momentum Tal and Groethuysen bring to this complex score is impressive...a thoroughly enjoyable contribution to the Wagner bicentennial offerings.”

(International Record Review, May 2013)

The Critic's Chair

Wagner: Piano Transcriptions for Four Hands Yaara Tal, Andreas Groethuysen (pnos) (Sony Classical 88765 44159) Arrangements of music from Wagner's operas for two pianos by luminaries such as Debussy, Dukas and Reger, as well as a largely unknown arranger, Alfred Pringsheim. These will enhance your appreciation of Wagner's skill and originality as a composer.